The Tigers have a lot of money coming off the books. Do you see them finding a big bat like Dunn, or will they concentrate on completing their rotation? (do you buy Phil Coke starting btw?)(lemppi from Ankeny, IA)

I do see them making a play to stay in the AL Central picture, in no small part because I don't think Dave Dombrowski and Jim Leyland are hanging around for the pleasure of it alone. And I do buy Phil Coke starting--in the monkey-see, monkey-do competitive ecology of the game, the Rangers' success with C.J. Wilson this season is sure to find emulation in other organizations. Which I'm glad for, because who knows how many starting pitchers we've lost over the last generation to the unwillingness to take a few risks with a player already successful in one role or another.

The problem for the Tigers is that the stakes in the Central are higher now, as the White Sox discovered this season. Gunning for a title and <90 wins avails you little if there's a better ballclub than that above you in the standings. If the Twins stay up there, the standards are higher than what the Tigers and Sox were able to get away with the last few years. (Christina Kahrl)

Joe, do you think Manuel should have left Madson in for the ninth last night? Even if Lidge doesn't give up a run in the top of the ninth, the pitchers' spot is due up first in the bottom of the inning, so at most Lidge was going to pitch one inning. After that, the Phillies would had to have relied on Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre and company. (philsfan from NYC)

Absolutely. He had no reason to take Madson out, and going to Lidge--whose "comeback" is fictional--actively damaged the Phillies' chances.

It would have been comical to see Phil Coke and Chad Durbin pitching in a tied World Series game. (Joe Sheehan)

PITCHf/x Pitcher Profile

Phil Coke has thrown 6,840 pitches that have been tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2008 and 2015, including pitches thrown in the MLB Regular Season, the MLB Postseason and Spring Training. In 2015, he has relied primarily on his Fourseam Fastball (94mph), Sinker (94mph) and Cutter (91mph), also mixing in a Curve (81mph) and Change (86mph). He also rarely throws a Slider (86mph).